Photopolymerization is widely used to cure photopolymerizable compositions to produce fabricated articles. One recent application of photopolymerization is the development of optical elements whose optical properties can be changed through the use of photopolymerizable modifying composition dispersed within the optical element.
There exists a need, however, to control the conditions under which photopolymerization occurs. For example, in one embodiment of the optical element described above, intraocular lenses are first implanted into a patient and then adjusted post-operatively to achieve the refractive needs of the patient. This post-operative correction preferably occurs after wound healing is complete. This allows the surgeon to take into account any errors in the lens power calculation due to imprecise measurement or changes in the lens position that might occur due to the wound healing process.
The healing process may take up to several weeks, during which time it is necessary to avoid photopolymerization of the modifying composition. This requires that the patient shield his eyes from potential light sources that could cause photopolymerization. This severely restricts the patient's abilities to resume a normal routine after surgery.
Thus, it is desirable to control the conditions under which photopolymerization occurs at a predetermined set of conditions.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.